Under a scorching sky in the desert mountains, the cultivator Xie Zhen advanced alone. In the highlands of the Huangfeng continent, where only the most powerful cultivators dared to tread, Xie Zhen had a clear goal: to obtain a sacred root renowned for its unparalleled life energy—the Dead Shadow Root.
He knew every detail of this mountain: the path to take, the fierce creatures that dwelled within, and, most importantly, the exact location of the root.
But Xie Zhen was not the only one aware of the root's value. Powerful and greedy cultivators had also embarked on the same quest.
What they did not know, however, was that they weren't just searching for the Root they were pawns in a game he had orchestrated himself.
As he neared the cave where the root was hidden, Xie Zhen stopped, sensing presences a few meters away.
At the entrance, three cultivators stood waiting. They had likely been sent by one of the neighboring great sects to claim the root before him. Focused as they were, they had no idea of the threat looming over them.
With a small smile on his lips, Xie Zhen executed a concealment technique he had perfected in cursed lands an art he mastered better than anyone.
His body became a shadow, blending into the darkness of the cave. Without a sound, Xie Zhen crept closer.
"So, is this root really worth all the risk?" asked one of the cultivators, a tall, visibly nervous man.
"Shut up! This root can enhance our cultivation by years. It's as rare as it is valuable. If we manage to bring it back to our sect, we'll earn invaluable privileges," his companion replied.
Listening intently, Xie Zhen slipped behind the most distant man and, with a precise gesture, struck two fingers into his neck.
A dark wave coursed through the victim's body, paralyzing all his muscles. The man collapsed, terror filling his eyes.
Before the others realized what had happened, Xie Zhen had already vanished back into the shadows.
The two remaining cultivators spun around, peering into the darkness.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" one of them demanded, gripping his sword with a trembling hand.
Xie Zhen didn't answer. He let the silence weigh on them, plunging them into deeper fear.
These men were nothing but weaklings, far from the predator he had become.
Xie Zhen finally emerged from the shadows. The two cultivators instinctively backed away when they saw him because they immediately recognized the dangerous aura coming from him. He had learned to manipulate people since childhood
"Who... who are you?" Said one of them, his voice trembling.
Xie Zhen: "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that you have something I want, and you're in my way."
Before the two men could react, Xie Zhen cast a shadow spell that coiled around their bodies, immobilizing them instantly.
He killed one of them by crushing his heart with a simple hand gesture and let the other collapse in terror.
"Mercy…" the last survivor whimpered.
Xie Zhen: "Mercy is a luxury I cannot afford you. »
Xie Zhen tore the man's heart straight out of his chest. The man looked at his own heart in horror before losing his life. Watching the life drain from his victim, Xie Zhen felt immense satisfaction.
With the three men eliminated, Xie Zhen approached the precious root that emitted a faint glow.
Placing a hand on it, he felt a wave of pure energy coursing through his body.
The root was even more powerful than he had imagined. Absorbing its essence, he felt his cultivation progress rapidly.
As the root's energy merged with his body, memories of his past surfaced briefly, but he quickly pushed them away. This was no time for old emotions.
His cruelty wasn't a mask—it was his true nature, forged by a world where the weak perished and the strong took what they wanted.
Emerging from the cave, his gaze fixed on the horizon. He knew his actions would attract the attention of powerful enemies, but for him, that only made the game more exciting.
Those who came seeking vengeance would be opportunities to hone his talents and stepping stones in his quest for ascension.
In the distance, he heard hurried footsteps. A group of cultivators was approaching. He smiled, waiting patiently for them.
To Xie Zhen, every adversary was merely an obstacle on his path to domination. And this world would realize it far too late.
The footsteps grew louder as the cultivators approached the cave. Xie Zhen meanwhile remained motionless. After merging his body with the shadows he now focused his gaze on the approaching figures .
Four cultivators advanced cautiously. Their auras revealed that they were not novices, and their uniforms identified them as members of the Tianming Sect, known for its formidable warriors.
"Three of our sect members haven't returned… They might've encountered a monster stronger than expected," one of them said.
Xie Zhen couldn't help but smile in the shadows. The naivety of cultivators who relied solely on their sects for protection always amused him.
To him, such dependence made them weak, incapable of understanding the true nature of strength: one that obeyed no rules or morals.
He stepped forward, letting his oppressive aura spread through the air like poison.
The four cultivators trembled as he emerged, their expressions shifting between surprise and unease. The largest of them, evidently the leader, stepped forward:
"Who are you?" he demanded in an authoritative tone.
Xie Zhen remained silent at first, savoring the tension.
Finally, he spoke, his voice cold:
"I am the one who took what your pitiful comrades sought so desperately. And if you don't want to join them in oblivion, I suggest you turn back, you fools."
The leader let out a nervous laugh, attempting to mask his fear. "Arrogant! Do you really think you can intimidate us? We're not mere disciples!"
Xie Zhen looked amused. He loved challenges, especially those who believed themselves superior.
With a fluid motion, he cast a shadow technique. A stream of dark energy coiled around one of the men, pulling him toward Xie Zhen with irresistible force. Before the others could react, Xie Zhen snapped the man's neck with precision and dropped his lifeless body.
The three survivors recoiled in shock, their eyes a mix of terror and determination.
They summoned defensive techniques, forming a circle as lightning and flames erupted around them.
But Xie Zhen remained impassive, as if their attacks were nothing more than insignificant diversions.
In response, he raised a hand, unleashing a wave of dark energy that engulfed the flames and lightning in an instant. One of the cultivators staggered backward, watching his technique dissolve.
Xie Zhen: "You've chosen the wrong opponent," he said in an icy tone. Without hesitation, he vanished into the shadows, moving at supernatural speed.
Reappearing behind one of them, he drove his fingers into the man's spine, flooding his victim with a corrupting energy that paralyzed him on the spot.
Only two men remained—the leader and another. One tried to flee, but Xie Zhen caught him effortlessly and ended his life with a swift strike to the neck.
Now alone, the leader stepped back in terror. All his pride and confidence had melted away in the face of Xie Zhen's ruthless dominance.
All his pride and confidence had disappeared in Xie Zhen's presence. He begged him with a trembling voice:
"Please… I will do whatever you want… spare me…" Xie Zhen watched him with a cruel smile on his lips.
Xie Zhen: "Mercy, you say? Do you truly think mercy has any place in this world? If you want to survive, you need more than pleading words." He laughed coldly.
Raising his hand for the final blow, he suddenly paused.
"I'll give you a lesson you won't forget, fool. Return to your sect and tell them this: if they send more imbeciles in my way, I'll make them suffer in a thousand ways. Tell them that the name Xie Zhen will soon be etched in their minds as a curse."
The man trembled in both relief and terror, nodding frantically before scrambling to his feet and fleeing without a backward glance.
Alone once more, Xie Zhen emerged from the cave and gazed at the horizon. The sacred root pulsed within him, its vibrant energy nourishing every fiber of his being.
This was just the beginning. His power would only grow, and soon, this world would learn to fear his name.
He left the mountain, driven by an insatiable desire for domination and terror.